Devils Tower Rock Climbing

Climbing Devils Tower

We offer several options for rock climbing at Devils Tower National Monument.

Crag Days- Devils Tower is a crack climbers dream. If you are an experienced crack climber or want to learn to climb cracks this might be your new favorite place. If the summit is your goal, check out our 2 or 3 day blitz packages below we do not offer one day guided summit trips. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE INFO

2 Day Devils Tower Summit Blitz – Sylvan Rocks has a great package for giving you a great shot at a successful summit. We spend a day climbing together making sure everyone is on the same page with climbing efficiently in a multi pitch setting then get an EARLY start and go for the summit. Great for people who have spent time at rock climbing gyms and have been climbing outdoors a little. We like to spend our first day climbing together at Custer State Park (Suitable for people with no climbing experience if you enjoy a challenge and are willing to learn a lot in a short time and physically challenge yourself) SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE INFO

3 Day Devils Tower Summit Blitz- If you have never climbed before and want to summit Devils Tower, this may be the course for you. We spend two 6 hour climbing days (usually at Custer State Park) building skills and filling in gaps of knowledge so you can be as efficient as possible during your summit attempt. For experienced climbers, this is 3 days with a guide covering as much vertical terrain as possible. (suitable for people with no climbing experience if you enjoy a challenge and are willing to learn a lot in a short time and physically challenge yourself) SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE INFO

2 Day Devils Tower Blitz

2 Day Devils Tower Climbing Blitz

Check this summit off your bucket list

The Devils Tower 2 day guided climbing Blitz is the course to take if you want to stand atop Devils Tower to enjoy the power and beauty found there. From the uber-classic Durrance route to the challenge of Soler Crack and beyond, we work with you to fulfill your rock climbing goals. We find that if a person really wants to do something, they will go to extraordinary measures to make it happen. That desire is what gets people to the summit of Devils Tower National Monument in the Wyoming.

If you have that desire and that goal, and are willing to give 110% to make it happen, we can often guide you there even if you have minimal climbing experience but it’s no “walk in the park”. When scheduling a guided climbing trip to the summit of Devils Tower, we require that you climb with us at least 1 day prior to your summit attempt.

Day 1)

We meet at Custer State Park in South Dakota to experience climbing with you first hand. We climb and evaluate skills so that we set ourselves up for success on your summit attempt. (It can also be set up to do both days at the Tower but we recommend the Needles Climbing area for several reasons). For less advanced climbers or gym climbers, day 1 is initiation by fire to multi-pitch rock climbing. Skill building is accomplished through hands on climbing so don’t expect to be standing around in a ‘school’ environment. We cover lots of information in a short period of time. Bring your “high energy” mojo. More advance climbers, enjoy day 1 as a super fun day on the rock to just climb some of the best routes the area has to offer while we fill in any gaps in our guest knowledge.

Note – Plan to make the 2 hour drive to Devils Tower Wyoming from Custer State Park that night and stay near Devils Tower. (As mentioned, day one can also be scheduled to meet at Devils Tower). Check out our 3 day Blitz if you’d like a more leisurely adventure.

Day 2)

Plan to stay at Devils Tower the night before your summit attempt. You will meet your guide EARLY (often times 3:30 or 4am in the summer months) at the base of Devils Tower in Wyoming, so that we can beat the heat and enjoy our climbing even more. We will attempt the Tower via the most appropriate climbing route for your party. We expect to be done early in the afternoon. For some guests, being guided to the summit is just pure fun. For others it is the greatest physical and mental challenge of their life, but everyone enjoys the view from the top and the great feeling of accomplishment.

This course is suitable for people with very little or no climbing experience, but as you might expect, the more knowledge and the higher level of fitness you arrive with the better chance we have of getting you to the summit. If your guide feels that there is not a very good chance of success for your summit attempt, we will enjoy a second day of rock climbing in Custer State Park (usually around the Cathedral Spires) or some climbing around the base of Devils Tower without summiting.

Prices for 2 Day Devils Tower Climbing Blitz.

Solo – $791

Group of 2 – $580 p/person

Group of 3 – $525 p/person

Devils Tower is of cultural significance too many American Indian tribes. Out of respect for the Native American tribes, Sylvan Rocks encourages guest and all rock climbers to honor the voluntary June climbing closure. Please enjoy other summits during the month of June.

3 Day Devils Tower Climbing Blitz

Enjoy climbing with your guide and have time to really learn the many lessons Black Hills Climbing has to offer.

Climbing Devils tower with a guide is great for folks who have not climbed before or have limited experience rock climbing. It is perhaps enjoyed even more by guests who have plenty of skills, but want to experience the best the area has to offer by climbing at Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, and summiting Devils Tower with your guide.

Days 1 and 2

Are set up as 6 hour climbing days on the rock having fun climbing the classics, perfecting skills or just getting on top of as many summits as possible and enjoying the area. If you have not climbed much before, we will be working through needed skills as we climb with the goal of our effort being to summit Devils Tower.

Note – All three days may be scheduled at Devils Tower but, it is always suggested that at least the first day be scheduled at either Custer State Park or Mount Rushmore Climbing Area. Wherever we meet for your first day, plan your camping or lodging such that you are sleeping near Devils Tower the night before your summit attempt, as we often have a 4am meeting and start time near the Devils Tower Visitor Center.

Day 3

Get off to an early start (3:30-4am during the summer months) meeting you guide at the base of Devils Tower. After a hike up to the Tower, the climbing begins on the route most appropriate for you. The crack and sometimes offwidth climbing that leads to the top of Devils Tower is no walk in the park, so expect to use some muscles that might not normally get much action. As mentioned in the description of the 2 day Blitz, reaching the summit of Devils Tower National Monument is all about desire. If you and/or your guide determine that your skills or fitness level are not up to the challenge of a summit trip, then another day of rock climbing will be scheduled for one of the other Black Hills climbing areas that may be more appropriate for your ability and skill set. We have a pretty good track record of getting guest on top, but they are the ones who have to do the climbing needed to get themselves there.

Price for the 3 day adventure:

Solo – $985

Group of 2 – $705 p/person

Group of 3 – $640 p/person

Devils Tower is of cultural significance to many American Indian tribes. Out of respect for the Native American tribes, Sylvan Rocks encourages guest and all rock climbers to honor the voluntary June climbing closure . Please enjoy other summits during the month of June.

3 Day Devils Tower Blitz

Devils Tower Guide

Devils Tower Guided Climbing - Crag Day

Let us guide you to the best routes Devils Tower has to offer.

Devils Tower is an obvious climbing destination. If you want to brush up your crack climbing skills Devils Tower is ready for you. Enjoy rock climbing as the Tower as a local Climber without the pressure of getting to the top. Climb the “classic pitches,” and rap back down to do it again.

If you want to summit Devils Tower, please look at our 2 day and 3 day courses, as we do not schedule summit trips with only a single day course.

The Tower is a huge sun dial, so on these guide days we get started to take advantage of the sun or shade depending on the season. Maybe we want the cool shade or perhaps the warm September sun. Being out in nature is all part of the fun, and start times may be changed around as is appropriate.

Prices for 8 hour Devils Tower Crag Day.

Solo – $460

Group of 2 – $315 p/person

Group of 3 – $285 p/person

Devils Tower is of cultural significance to many American Indian tribes. Out of respect for the Native American tribes, Sylvan Rocks encourages guest and all rock climbers to honor the voluntary June climbing closure . Please enjoy other summits to enjoy during the month of June.

Sylvan Rocks Climbing only guides summit attempts in 2+ day adventures. The first day or 2 we climb at your level and fill in any voids of knowledge while getting to know each other.

The day of your Summit Attempt, we meet as early as we think we can at the Devils Tower Visiter Center parking lot and start hiking. Depending on weather, route traffic, route choice, your skill and fitness level and many other things the time it takes to climb to the top varies greatly. On average, I’d say it takes 6 hours to get up and 1 to 2 hours to rappel back down and hike back to the parking area.

Describing how hard it is to climb Devils Tower is always a difficult question to answer. Even though I have done it many many times and know the route…where the hidden holds are and where to place the gear, when I get to the top, I know that I have been working. The Durrance Route was the first completed by Jack Durrance and Harrison Butterworth in 1938 via the “Jump Traverse” and the Meadows Finish and is still one of Americas great classic climbing routes.

The Durrance is our goto for with people who have little or no climbing experience or who have not climbed cracks very much. We break things up into 5-7 pitches of climbing with rest (atop columns) and anchors at the top of each. The climbing is rather physical in nature and pretty much unlike anything else on Devils Tower.

People who enjoy a challenge and like to push themselves and have a strong desire to finish what they started are the ones who most often make it to the top, even if they are not the most physically fit or experienced climbers. Most anyone who wants to can climb to the top, but most anyone who has done it before will tell you “you gotta want it!” The guides will always have you on top rope and will do everything they can to coach you to the top, but you are the one who has to do the climbing to get yourself there.

I have seen a lot of tearfully happy people up on top. Many are simply over joyed to have accomplished the challenge. Getting down is still part of the day, but the summit is the goal.